Legacy
by Shutsumon
Summary: How would Harry’s life have been different if Petunia had acted like a Human being, if Dudley had been a wizard too and if Lily had left a legacy for her beloved son? How would it have been the same. Just another AU of book 1.
1. Prologue

**Title:**Legacy  
**Author:** Shutsumon  
**Pairings:** None yet. We'll see in the sequels.  
**Summary:** How would Harry's life have been different if Petunia had acted like a Human being, if Dudley had been a wizard too and if Lily had left a legacy for her beloved son? Just another AU of book 1.

**Beta Reader: S**hippo. Thanks Shippo!

**A/N: **Yes, yes…. I know I have two other fics gathering dust while I write this generic mess. What can I say? Writer's Block sucks. Still, please review.

**Disclaimer: **Not mine.

**LEGACY**

**Prologue**

**The Boy Who Was Left On The Doorstep**

Petunia Dursley's shock at finding a baby on her doorstep lasted long enough for her to scream before she gathered her composure and realised what this must mean. This probably explained why Vernon was so flustered last night. Something must have alerted him to what was going on. And thinking of Vernon she heard him getting out of bed with thump to come and see what had upset her even as she picked up the letter and skimmed it. Her mind was working overtime as she tried to work out how on Earth she was going to persuade Vernon to let her take her nephew in. It wasn't going to be easy.

And Lily was dead … she just couldn't get her mind round that as she listened to Vernon clunk slowly across the landing towards the stairs. Her sister, whom she had only made up with mere weeks ago, was dead. Not that Vernon would care. She hadn't even dared tell him that she back on speaking terms with Lily. He'd probably never forgive her. And God only knew how he'd react if he knew why. She really, really hoped that she wouldn't have to tell him everything. There was a very good chance that he'd walk out on them all if she did.

"I'll call the police and tell them that someone has dumped a baby on our doorstep." Vernon had finally made it downstairs, taken in the scene and come to the correct conclusion. "They never need to know that he's related to us."

Petunia took a deep breath and picked the bundle Harry was wrapped in up. "No, Vernon, we'll keep him."

"But, Petunia dear, he's bound to turn out to be a freak like your sister."

"What lay between Lily and me was just that between her and me. Harry has nothing to do with it. He's my flesh and blood and I have a duty to take care of him." She turned to face her husband so that he could see the determination in her eyes. "He's staying."

"B-b-but, Petunia…" Vernon spluttered. "Be reasonable. We can't have a child like that around Dudders. What if he rubs off on him? Turns him into a freak?"

"Oh, I don't think that there's any danger of that. Wizards are born not made. That much I do know." Petunia told him honestly even as she suppressed a twinge of guilt for the secret she was hiding. More certain than ever she mustn't tell him about Dudley until she had to. She remembered all too vividly the night that she had seen their son summon his favourite toys back to him after she'd put them away. Vernon had been away on business … fortunately. Petunia had sat downstairs shaking after she finally got Dudley off to sleep and had cried for hours before she had, in a fit of desperation, contacted her sister for advice. Lily had come at once and set up wards about the house to keep a check on uncontrolled magic use in the house. She'd commented that she had no idea how their parents had coped without wards and told her some of the things she might expect and how to cope with them. It had been the start of putting a fragile relationship back together out of the horrible way they'd parted just after Petunia's marriage. No, she couldn't tell Vernon but perhaps she should try and prepare him for the inevitable. "If our Dudley was to turn out to be a wizard," she flinched as Vernon cringed at the word. "It will be because he's my son and I'm Lily's sister … not because of Harry." She rocked the infant who had been awaken by all the fuss and started to cry. "There, there… hush now." She cooed.

No son of mine will be a wizard!" Vernon bellowed and Petunia sighed to herself. He was in for the most awful shock when the letters came in a few years time if not before. She would just have to hope that his love for Dudley could break through his prejudice as it had with her. But as he continued to rant she doubted it. "If you're going to insist on that boy staying here then we'll just have to crush it out of him."

"And how do you intend to that?" Petunia decided that she really didn't like the sound of that.

"I don't know. Treat him like the freak he is, I guess." Vernon hissed. "But I do know he's not taking up my son's space. I'll clear out the cupboard under stairs. He can sleep there."

Petunia stared at him in horror. "And if one of the neighbours notices and calls Social Services about him? What are you going to tell them? That we were abusing him because he's a wizard and we were trying to crush it out of him? Somehow I doubt that that would go down too well. No, dear, he can have the box room."

"No!" Vernon turned even more purple in the face than usual. "How can you even suggest treating that thing like a child?"

"Because **he** is a child! The fact his parents were wizards does not change that. Anyway the neighbours don't know that he's a wizard do they? So how are you going to explain it to them?"

By this time Vernon had turned a very alarming shade of puce and for a moment Petunia feared that his heart might be giving out. He seemed to swell slightly as if he was about to bellow at her some more but then a resigned expression crossed his face.

"Alright, Petunia, dear. We'll do this your way." He said with obvious effort. "But we'll live to regret this. Mark my words." He glared at the child in her arms. "And don't expect me to be nice to the boy."

"I won't." She conceded that much with a nod, "Now where can I get a second cot at short notice?"

------

Please R&R


	2. Chapter One

**Title:**Legacy  
**Author:** Shutsumon  
**Pairings:** None yet. We'll see in the sequels.  
**Summary:** How would Harry's life have been different if Petunia had acted like a Human being, if Dudley had been a wizard too and if Lily had left a legacy for her beloved son? Just another AU of book 1.

**A/N: **Betaread by Shippo. Thanks Shippo. Yes, I know that it's a lot like the original in place. There will be some fairly strong plot differences but equally being a Book One AU there will be quite a few points of concurrence. I have, however, tried to avoid taking whole blocks of text wholesale. Oh and I'll be placing Review Responses in my LiveJournal (see my profile for link).

**Disclaimer: **Not mine.

**LEGACY**

**Chapter One**

**Talking to Snakes**

"Harry? Are you awake?" Aunt Petunia's soft knocking drew the Boy who Lived up from sleep.

"I am now." He muttered to himself before replying in a louder tone. "Nearly!"

"Well, hurry up. I need you to help with breakfast. I want to get the housework done before we leave." She paused then added. "Please, I want Dudder's birthday to be perfect."

Harry rolled his eyes and suppressed a groan. His cousin was a mean, bullying git with the physique of a whale but Aunt Petunia thought that he was perfect and spoiled him rotten. Harry picked up his clothes and started dressing himself, praising the day Aunt Petunia had decided that he looked ridiculous in Dudley's Old clothes and had taken him shopping over Uncle Vernon's objections. His Uncle has refused to pay for his clothes but fortunately his mother had left a trust fund to provide for him so they'd used that.

Uncle Vernon had still not been amused. Harry wasn't sure if this was just because he didn't like him or because he'd intended to steal the money. Harry rather suspected a little of both. He didn't understand why his Uncle didn't like him and why he wanted to keep him 'in his place' – whatever that meant. It was an odd thought but sometimes it seemed to Harry that he was the only thing that his aunt and uncle ever argued over.

There would be another argument today of course. Harry knew that for certain. They were going to the Zoo for Dudley's birthday and neither his cousin nor his uncle would want him there. Aunt Petunia would insist that he came along. He certainly hoped that she won the inevitable row or he'd have to spend the day at Mrs Figg's and he really didn't fancy spending his time looking at photos of her old cats.

By the time Dudley and Uncle Vernon came into the kitchen Harry had nearly done cooking the bacon and Aunt Petunia had done with the hoovering.

"Comb your hair!" Was Uncle Vernon's closest attempt at a morning greeting. He seemed to think that Harry's hair was some kind of crime against humanity just because it grew all over the place. It was the one thing about Harry that his Aunt and Uncle seemed to agree on. Even Harry agreed to a degree. His perpetually messy hair got him laughed at school and no amount of haircuts seemed to help.

After breakfast was over Harry watched with faint amusement as Dudley started to have tantrum over not having enough presents. It seemed that his cousin was never satisfied with what he had. Aunt Petunia only managed to forestall an explosion by promising to buy him two more gifts while they were out.

"I'll phone Mrs Figg and see if she can babysit the boy." Uncle Vernon said while Dudley started unwrapping his presents. Every year the argument started like this. Uncle Vernon would state as fact that Harry would not be coming with them and then Aunt Petunia would take issue and…

"Oh, hadn't you heard?" Aunt Petunia said mildly. "She tripped over one of her cats and broke her leg yesterday. Lois from down the road told me this morning while I was putting the bin out."

Uncle Vernon went a darker shade of puce and glared in Harry's direction as if this was somehow his doing. "We could phone Marge."

"There's no way that 'm leaving Harry with someone who hates him."

Uncle Vernon muttered something about not understanding why not before suggesting. "Your friend? What's her name? Yvonne?"

"She's on holiday in Majorca." Aunt Petunia snapped. "Give it up, Vernon, he's coming with us."

It was at this point that Dudley voiced his two penneth by throwing a tantrum complete with crocodile tears and huge, pretend sobs as he wailed about not wanting Harry to come with them. This was the dangerous part. Aunt Petunia was a sucker for Dudley's acting and usually gave in. Indeed…

"Dinky Duddydums, don't cry." Aunt Petunia hugged him. "Harry won't spoil your special day – will you Harry?"

"No, of course not!" Harry said quickly.

"I don't want him to come!" Dudley screamed loudly.

Crack! A bottle of brown sauce on the work surface exploded and showered the kitchen in its contents, making Harry jump and bringing Dudley's act to an abrupt halt. Aunt Petunia began calmly cleaning the mess up but Uncle Vernon rounded on Harry.

"How dare you? Look at the mess you've made of Petunia's kitchen!" He raised one meaty hand as if to hit Harry.

"I think it was my fault, Vernon." Aunt Petunia's interruption stopped his hand short. "The hob was still hot and I left the bottle next to it. It must have heated up and exploded. You remember Marge's story about the jam jar."

Uncle Vernon did not look at all convinced and Harry knew that the bottle hadn't been that close to the hob. Any further discussion was halted by the sound of the doorbell.

"Oh, Good Lord, they're here!" Aunt Petunia threw the surface cleaner and cloth to Harry. "Finish wiping this up, please." She gasped and rushed to open the door. Harry started doing as she asked and a moment latter Piers Polkiss walked in with his mother. Harry suppressed a wince – the rat faced boy was Dudley's best friend and as big a bully as he was.

Half an hour later Harry was sitting in the back of the Dursleys' care and rejoicing that Aunt Petunia had won this round even though Uncle Vernon had, as usual, threatened him before they left.

"I'm warning you now, boy, put a foot wrong and you'll be in the cupboard until at least Christmas no matter what Petunia says."

Harry had just nodded because it was no arguing with him. Uncle Vernon would still blame him for every odd thing that happened.

And strange things happened a lot around Harry for some reason … around Dudley too for that matter – a fact Vernon resolutely ignored or still blamed Harry for. It was most unfair.

Perhaps the most notable incident was when Uncle Vernon had dragged him to the barbers and insisted that they give him a skinhead cut because he was fed up of Harry's messy hair. It had looked awful, Dudley had thought it was hilarious and Harry had been able to imagine the laughter he'd be subjected to at school the next day but when he'd got up it had grown back. Even Aunt Petunia had been taken aback by that development and Uncle Vernon had been apoplectic. Harry had actually been banished to the cupboard under stairs for a couple of days after the one in spite of him saying he didn't know how it had grown back and Aunt Petunia's protests.

Harry was looking forward to the zoo trip and was even willing to put up with Dudley and Piers' jibing – they wouldn't dare do any worse in front of Aunt Petunia – and with Uncle Vernon's constant moaning in order to go.

He did enjoy the morning looking at the animals … especially the gorilla that looked a lot like a brunette version of Dudley. Lunch in the Zoo's restaurant was also fun and he somehow managed to ignore the uneasy feeling that something was going to go wrong that was growing in his stomach.

After they'd eaten they visited the Reptile house. Harry wondered if Dudley would try to climb in with the crocodiles like he had as a toddler but unfortunately he wasn't so lucky. Indeed what Dudley and Piers were really interested in this time was in seeing dangerous, man killing snakes and soon tracked down the largest snake in the place – an unusually long Boa Constrictor. It was probably capable of doing major damage to a car when it wasn't snoozing the day away like now.

Dudley put his nose against the glass and stared at the long brown snake for a moment before whining at his father to make it move. Uncle Vernon tried twice to rouse it by rapping on the glass but it just snoozed on. After that Dudley shuffled away moaning about how bored he was.

Harry moved to look at the snake and thought that it had more reason to be bored than Dudley considering how it was cooped up. It made him grateful for what he had. As he watched it he somehow became aware that the snake was not really asleep. He had the impression that it had opened its eyes. Except that that was impossible since they hadn't been closed because snakes had no eyelids. It slowly raised its head and looked at Harry. He could have sworn it winked at him but that was impossible as well for the same reason.

Still… Harry looked around to check no one was watching and then winked at the snake. It responded by gesturing towards Uncle Vernon and Dudley before looking up. Harry blinked as the snake met his eyes because he could quite plainly read its body language as saying "I get that all the time." This was very odd even for his life.

"That must be annoying." He whispered even though he was pretty sure that it couldn't hear him through the glass and even if it could it wouldn't understand English. So he nearly jumped out of his skin when it nodded vigorously. This was beyond odd.

"So you come from Brazil?" He asked it after glancing at the sign by the glass. "What's it like there?" He wanted to keep the conversation going not just because it was interesting but because he wanted to know if it was a coincidence. The snake jerked its tail at the little sign and Harry read it more carefully. "This specimen was bred in the zoo." He looked back at the snake. "So you've never been to Brazil? Would you like to?"

The snake nodded sadly just as Piers shouted to the others. "DUDLEY! MR DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!"

It was at this point that the day became a shambles. Dudley, in his haste to see the snake pushed Harry out of the way so roughly that he fell to the ground winded. As he struggled to catch his breath he glared at Piers and Dudley who were leaning up close to the glass staring at the snake. He growled to himself under his breath and felt something click inside his head. Piers and Dudley leapt back as the glass separating them from the snake disappeared. The snake took advantage of this and slip rapidly out of its tank. People panicked, of course, and ran for the exits. As it slithered past Harry it looked over at him and he quite clearly heard it say. "Brazil, here I come … Thanksss, amigo."

Harry grinned at it and whispered. "Good luck."

With Aunt Petunia in shock, Dudley and Piers reduced to gibbering idiots and Uncle Vernon apoplectic with rage – again – the trip ended soon after that. Uncle Vernon managed to restrain himself until Piers had left the house before turning on Harry and physically dragging to the cupboard under the stairs, tossing him inside and locking the door. He was so angry that he could barely speak but Harry made out something about no meals.

Much later Harry lay there in the dark hoping that Uncle Vernon would go to bed soon because he knew that as soon as he did Aunt Petunia would sneak him some food. If she wasn't still in shock that was. If she was, and he wouldn't blame her, he probably wouldn't see any food until after Uncle Vernon went to work in the morning.

Living with the Dursley's for ten years had not really been a happy experience for Harry but he supposed that it could have been worse. At least Aunt Petunia cared about him and if she loved Dudley more well that was only natural wasn't it? Dudley was her son after all while Harry was just the nephew she'd taken in after his parents were murdered. An event which she would never explain in detail. She always said that he was too young and she would explain at the right time. From what little he did know he knew that he had received the lightning bolt scar on his forehead at the same time.

He couldn't remember his parents at all. A fact which often saddened him. Uncle Vernon had nothing good and a great deal that was bad to say about them but Aunt Petunia was more positive about her sister but apparently disliked his father as well. All the same she had no photos of them and his questions were always met with the same "I'll explain when you are old enough".

Sometimes though the weirdest people seemed to know him. Like the tiny man in the violet top hat who had bowed to him a shop and thoroughly alarmed Aunt Petunia in the process. She had chewed him out about talking to strangers after that incident even though he hadn't said a word. Then there was the wild old woman in green who'd waved to hi on the bus once. Yes, the people who seemed to know him were all extremely odd and even weirder was the fact that they seemed to vanish when he tried to get a closer look.

Yes, at home he did have Aunt Petunia and the strangers in the street were interesting but at school Harry had no friends thanks to Dudley and his gang. Everyone knew they hated him and no one wanted to disagree with Dudley's gang because the consequences could be nasty so they avoided him.

-----

R&R


	3. Chapter Two

**Title:**Legacy  
**Author:** Shutsumon  
**Pairings:** None yet. We'll see in the sequels.  
**Summary:** How would Harry's life have been different if Petunia had acted like a Human being, if Dudley had been a wizard too and if Lily had left a legacy for her beloved son? How would it have been the same? Just another AU of book 1.

**A/N: **Betaread by Shippo. Thanks Shippo. Yes, I know that it's a lot like the original in place. There will be some fairly strong plot differences but equally being a Book One AU there will be quite a few points of concurrence. I have, however, tried to avoid taking whole blocks of text wholesale. Review responses will be placed in my LJ. There's a link in my profile.

**Disclaimer: **Not mine.

**LEGACY**

**Chapter Two**

**Hogwarts' Letters**

The escape of the Brazilian snake had caused the longest ever ongoing argument between Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. It lasted for weeks and for the duration of it Harry had to spend much of his non-school time in the cupboard. The whole of the time that Vernon was both awake and in the house in fact. As soon as he fell asleep or left the house Aunt Petunia let Harry out and fed him but he had to be back in the cupboard by the time Uncle Vernon got up or came home. So every night Harry sat in the dark with the spiders and listened to his aunt ad uncle arguing about his punishment. Twice Uncle Vernon came home early and caught him outside the cupboard and both times the simmering argument between his guardians had exploded. It was no wonder that Dudley was indulging in some minor blackmail of his mother in exchange for not telling his father.

By the time the argument and Uncle Vernon's temper subsided enough for Harry to be allowed to stay in his presence without all hell breaking loose the summer holidays had begun. Harry was glad that school was over since he hated the way he was bullied there. Unfortunately he still had to deal with Dudley and his gang since they visited the house every day. Dudley's four cohorts were all big and stupid – though not as much as their leader – and shared his favourite sport: Harry Hunting.

As a result Harry spent most of the day wandering around outside avoiding them or – if it was raining – locked in his room reading. He spent most of his time thinking about September, when for the first time he'd be at a different school than Dudley. His cousin was going to a posh school called Smeltings which Uncle Vernon had once attended. Harry, on the other hand, was going to the local comprehensive, Stonewall High, because Uncle Vernon wouldn't pay for him to go to Smeltings.

In July Aunt Petunia took Dudley and Harry to London in order to buy Dudley's uniform for Smeltings. While he was being fitted for it she seemed a little stressed and Harry, who was waiting with her, could hear her muttering to herself.

"… Should have persuaded Vernon to let me wait a couple of weeks … Cost … going to be mad…" Was all he could catch and he wondered absently why she was so upset. Perhaps it was the ridiculous way the uniform looked. The maroon tailcoat and orange knickerbockers clashed horribly. An effect only made worse by the addition of a straw boater and a knobbly stick. Apparently Smeltings boys used the sticks for hitting each other when their teachers weren't looking. Harry thought it all sounded quite ridiculous but rather suspected that Dudley would want to practice on him with the stick.

That evening Dudley modelled the uniform for Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia and Harry found himself trying not laugh again when Uncle Vernon declared it the proudest moment of his life. Aunt Petunia was standing behind Uncle Vernon and she had that same unhappy and stressed look on her face but when her husband turned to say something to her she burst into tears and said something about her Ickle Dudleykins looking so handsome and grown up. Harry could tell she was dissembling and wondered why but Uncle Vernon seemed oblivious.

The next day Harry and Aunt Petunia were supposed to be going into town to buy his new school uniform but when he got up that morning he found her sitting at the kitchen table looking even more upset than yesterday and muttering about wanting something to arrive today so that she didn't have to waste any more money.

"Aunt Petunia?" He questioned. Her head jerked up and she smiled at him but he could still see the worry she was trying so hard to hide. "What's wrong?"

"It's n-nothing." She was obviously lying but he knew better than to press the issue. Instead he busied himself making a nice cup of tea for her. Not long after that Dudley and Uncle Vernon both came in. Dudley seemed totally oblivious to his mother's distress and just sat down and banged his Smeltings' stick on the Table. Uncle Vernon, however, did notice for once and instead of opening his paper he frowned across the table at his wife.

"Petunia!" He asked sharply. "Whatever is wrong? Did the boy do something?" He turned to glare at Harry who glared back. Trust his uncle to assume that he was to blame. He opened his mouth to retort when they all heard the familiar click of the letter-box and the flop of letters on the doormat.

"Could you get the post please, Harry?" Aunt Petunia asked. Harry took a breath and nodded before heading out to get the post. Obviously Aunt Petunia was trying to head off another row and he didn't want to see her any more upset.

There were four pieces of post on the doormat: a postcard from Aunt Marge, who was Uncle Vernon's sister, a bill and two very unusual looking letters which he picked up first and examined.

The envelopes were thick and yellow… he thought they might be made of parchment rather than paper… and each was sealed with a wax seal. It was as if they had come from another time rather than merely another place. Most surprising of all was that one of the letters was addressed to Harry who had never received a letter before in his life. The second was addressed to Dudley but he got quite a bit of post so that wasn't anywhere near as odd.

"Come on, boy!" Uncle Vernon yelled. "Don't dawdle! Get back here and tell me why your aunt is so upset!"

So much for avoiding an argument. Harry sighed and walked back into the kitchen and handing the bill and postcard to Uncle Vernon, tossed Dudley's letter at his cousin and sat back down. "I don't know what's wrong with Aunt Petunia." He told him. Uncle Vernon looked at him sceptically and spotted the letter in his hand.

"What's that?" He snapped. "You should give me the post."

"It's letter to me." Harry replied. "Dudley and I both have one… hey!" This last was because Uncle Vernon had grabbed it out of his hand.

"No one would write to you." He sneered before unfolding the parchment and scanning the letter. Within moments his face lost its normal puce colouration in favour of a greyish colour similar to that of cold porridge. He made a choking noise looked around wildly and saw the letter addressed to Dudley – who had been too busy stuffing his face to open it yet. His face went even greyer and he grabbed and opened it over Dudley's protests.

"Oh no…" He choked again. "This can't be … not my son." He was actually shaking. Aunt Petunia reached over and plucked one of the letters out of his unresisting hand and read it before taking the other one and handing them to Dudley and Harry. While the two boys read the letters she gave Uncle Vernon a cup of sweet tea and packed him off to work. He was still muttering about 'not his son' when he left.

"I think that there is going to be a huge row tonight." Aunt Petunia sighed when she returned to the kitchen but she seemed a lot less tense and Harry realised she must have been expecting these letters somehow. "I expect that you two have a lot of questions. Let's go sit in the lounge and I'll try and explain."

"But, Aunt Petunia, Wizard School?" Harry asked.

"When you're sat down." True to her word it was only after they were sat down on the sofa on either side of her that Aunt Petunia finally began to explain. "My sister Lily, Harry's mother, was a witch. When she was about your age she received a letter from that school and went off to study magic. I, however, did not get one because I'm just an ordinary person - a muggle as they call us. The whole family was extremely proud of Lily except for me. I became extremely jealous of her and persuaded myself that she was a freak. We barely spoke for years… especially after she married a wizard from an old magical family. I told Vernon about her and it didn't take much to persuade her that she was something to be ashamed of." She paused and looked down. "Then one day something happened that changed my perspective. One evening when Vernon wasn't home – thank goodness – Dudley had a bit of a tantrum and performed what they call 'accidental magic'… I didn't know who else to turn to so I called Lily…" Aunt Petunia pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed her eyes. "She came and helped me in spite of everything. I'm so glad that we had the chance to make up before she died."

"Are you finally going to tell me how they died?" Harry asked even as he wondered what his life would have been like if Dudley had been ordinary and Aunt Petunia had never made up with his mother. After a moment he decided that he was glad that he would never have to find out.

"Yes." She nodded solemnly. "You need to know now." She paused for thought and Harry glanced at Dudley because he was being unusually quiet. He had gone pale and was still staring at his letter in shock. Harry looked back as his Aunt began to speak again. "As near as I can understand it there was a sort of civil war going on in the Wizarding community for about a decade prior to your birth, Harry. There was a group of witches and wizards who didn't like 'muggles' or witches and wizards like Lily who come from muggle families…. To the point of being genocidal about it."

"People!" Harry rolled his eyes towards the ceiling.

"Now the leader of this group of psychos went by the name of Voldemort…"

"If his mother called him that it's no wonder he's a psycho." Harry interrupted. Aunt Petunia grinned briefly.

"I think it's an alias Harry… and for some reason a lot of witches and wizards won't use his name. I think they think it's bad luck or something. Anyway this Voldemort had the reputation as the most feared Dark Wizard in a century and for some reason he targeted you and your parents specifically. On Halloween 1981 he turned up at your parents' home and killed them. Then he tried to kill you as well – but he failed and whatever spell he used in the attempt backfired on him. No one knows why. But that's where you got that scar. From the backfired spell." She paused again and Harry quickly jumped in.

"How do you know all this?" He asked.

"There was a letter with you when you were left here." She replied before continuing. "This is why those strange people sometimes seem to know you in the street sometimes. You're quite famous in the magical community. They call you the 'Boy Who Lived' apparently." She glanced around. "Someone should be here to take our reply shortly I imagine. They were when Lily got her letter and they know we don't have access to Owl Post."

"But I don't want to go to some schools for weirdos." Dudley finally found his voices. "I want to go to Smeltings." He banged the coffee table with his stick for emphasis. "Do I have to go?"

"Well there's no law saying that you have to, dear, but you'll probably blow yourself up if you don't learn control … anyway which would you rather do? Spend your days studying geometry and history or studying how to turn teacups into rats and learning to fly?" She had apparently put that the right way because Dudley actually looked thoughtful – a very unusual expression to see on his face.

"Dad's not going to like it is he?" He said finally.

"I'll handle your father."

Harry, in the meantime, had been feeling a little queasy at the thought of having to go to school with Dudley after all but as he thought about it he realised that if he was famous in this new school then their situation would be pretty much reversed. Not that he'd treat anyone the way Dudley had treated him … but this might be interesting.

---

The person from Hogwarts didn't arrive until after Uncle Vernon came home from work that night. He apparently gotten over much of the shock during the day but was still in a foul mood about it. He had no sooner come through the door than he rounded on Harry and blamed him for turning Dudley into a 'freak'.

"Stop that Vernon." Aunt Petunia intervened. "I told you back when we took Harry in. Wizards are born not made."

Uncle Vernon opened his mouth as if to argue and then froze as something clicked. "You… you knew about this! And you didn't tell me!"

"Well I knew how you'd react. Pardon me for wanting a little peace until it was necessary." She paused as the doorbell rang. "Finally! That'll be the person from Hogwarts to take our reply."

"I can't stop you sending that boy there but my son is not going to a school for freaks." Vernon yelled as she opened the door.

"If you don't want your son to end up hurting himself or someone else by accident you might reconsider that, Mr Dursley." Said the stern looking woman who entered the lounge with Aunt Petunia. She introduced herself as Professor McGonagall, which Harry recognised as the name of the person who had signed the letters.

She talked with them for quite some time and eventually Uncle Vernon realised that he was fighting a losing battle. After all, thanks to his mother and Professor's McGonagall's description of Hogwarts, Dudley had decided that he wanted to go and what Dudley wanted Dudley got. Uncle Vernon was not happy at all and stormed upstairs after informing them that he wasn't paying for Dudley's fees. Professor McGonagall and Aunt Petunia looked at each other.

"Well Lily provided for Harry." Petunia murmured. "We'll just have to hope that my savings will cover Dudley. I'll get a job if I have to." She grimaced at the thought.

"Well, actually tuition is free, actually, but there are certain supplies and books that you'll need to purchase for him." Professor McGonagall replied. "Professor Dumbledore has arranged for someone to come and take you to buy them on the 31st of July." She paused. "You know we half expected to have to send someone to forcibly deliver the letters you know. Lily often commented on how anti-magic you were."

"Yes, I was." Petunia admitted. "But having a magical child of my own changed that."

Professor McGonagall spoke briefly to Aunt Petunia in private and left soon after that. Once she'd gone Aunt Petunia cooked dinner and Dudley hogged the television as usual. It almost seemed normal but Harry knew things would be different from now on.

---

R&R


	4. Chapter Three

**Title:**Legacy  
**Author:** Shutsumon  
**Pairings:** None yet. We'll see in the sequels.  
**Summary:** How would Harry's life have been different if Petunia had acted like a Human being, if Dudley had been a wizard too and if Lily had left a legacy for her beloved son? How would it have been the same? Just another AU of book 1.

**A/N: **Betaread by Shippo. Thanks Shippo. Yes, I know that it's a lot like the original in place. There will be some fairly strong plot differences but equally being a Book One AU there will be quite a few points of concurrence. I have, however, tried to avoid taking whole blocks of text wholesale. Sorry this took so long. Initially I was considering certain things in HBP and revising my planned plot and then it just took forever to type in.

**Disclaimer: **Not mine.

**LEGACY**

**Chapter Three**

**Mysterious Box**

If the next few days were pretty tense for Harry they were downright miserable for Dudley. Uncle Vernon remained in a foul mood about what he perceived as his son's betrayal and had responded by basically ignoring his existence. For a spoiled brat like his cousin being ignored was the ultimate torture. Harry on the other hand was the target of every bit of his ire because he still blamed him for some reason even though he now knew Dudley had had magic before Harry was on the doorstep. Fortunately he didn't dare to lay a hand on Harry because the one time he had tried to, the day after the letter came, Aunt Petunia had responded in kind with her frying pan. He did, however, use any excuse to roar at Harry even more than usual. Harry didn't really care. He just made an effort to avoid his Uncle as much as humanly possible and counted down the days to the school things buying trip impatiently. He was really beginning to look forward to it. Though truth be told he was a little concerned about Aunt Petunia's claim that he was famous in the Wizarding World. He didn't even recall the events in question after all. He wasn't even sure how they could be so sure that he was the one who had defeated this Voldemort person just because he had survived. He had only been a baby at the time … it seemed inconceivable to him that he could have done what they thought he had. He rather thought that it must have been one of his parents who was really responsible even if they had died in the process.

Professor McGonagall hadn't seemed that impressed to meet him of course. But then she didn't seem the type to be overly excited by celebrity. She had seemed rather staid and stern but Harry had decided he liked her … primarily because she made Dudley nervous.

In spite of Uncle Vernon's continuing attempts to make him miserable the few days before Harry's birthday seemed to fly by. Mainly because Dudley was having trouble explaining why he wasn't going to Smeltings after all to his gang and so was not available to chase Harry. Dudley's best friend Piers was going to Smeltings and was especially put out and was currently not talking to Dudley at all.

The cover story Aunt Petunia and Professor McGonagall had come up with was especially amusing in Harry's opinion. They were claiming that Harry and Dudley had both been accepted at an exclusive academy for Gifted Children. Given that Harry was only an average student and Dudley was – to be blunt – stupid. He wasn't really sure why the neighbours bought this tale but they did.

The night before his birthday Harry lay awake wondering where on earth they were going to get the strange books and even stranger equipment listed in his letter. It certainly wasn't the kind of stuff you'd find in a normal high street. That must be why they needed someone to take them to buy it. This magical world was in hiding so it was logical that their shops were as well.

Excitement was still growing in his chest and stomach as he turned over to watch his clock slowly count down to midnight. The last 60 seconds before his eleventh birthday seemed to take an age to pass … and as the last ten seconds clicked away he found himself holding his breath as if expecting something to happen.

Rap!

All the same the gentle tapping on his bedroom door made him jump. The door then opened a crack and Aunt Petunia's head appeared round it. She beamed when she saw that he was awake and disappeared back onto the landing for a moment before quickly entering the room fully. There was a fairly large, ornately carved wooden box in her hands.

"This is for you." She told him. "Lily left it for you in her will with instructions to give to you on your eleventh birthday. I don't know what's in it. She used some sort of spell so that no one but you could open it." She laid it on the bed. "Happy Birthday, I'll give your present in the morning." She smiled at him again.

"Thanks, Aunt Petunia." He stared at the box thoughtfully.

"Goodnight, Harry." She said quietly before slipping out and closing the door leaving him alone with the box. Harry regarded it a moment longer before reaching out to try and open it. As soon as his fingers brushed the lid it popped open. He leant over and glanced inside. Almost immediately he figured out that it was 'a box of memories' from his parents. He'd seen enough of those sappy films Aunt Petunia watched in the afternoons to recognise the typical sorts of things that would be in it. Right on top were two thick parchment envelopes which turned out to contain letters from his parents. Underneath those were two thick books – a photo album and a baby scrapbook. He flicked through them absently and was surprised to see that the pictures moved. It was nice to finally have pictures of his parents. At the bottom were a set of diaries written in the same neat, feminine hand as the letter from his mother which turned out to chronicle her time at Hogwarts. He looked at them and realised that it would take some time for him to read through them all so he put them aside for now and opened the small jewellery box he found in one corner. It contained nothing but a wedding ring and an unusual looking engagement ring on a fine chain. He lifted them up and looked at them as the hung there glinting before picking up the last item in the box, a wand with a note – once more in his mother's hand – attached. "A spare is always useful. He ran one finger along the length and jumped as it sparked. He blinked briefly before unfolding the letter from his mother and reading them.

"_My dearest Harry,_

_If you are reading this it means that your father and I died in the war against Voldemort. It's not unexpected and I am as prepared for it as I can be. We've seen too many of our friends die to be surprised. Especially since he has decided that he wants you dead due to some prophecy that Professor Dumbledore refuses to tell us the details of._

_In preparation for what seems like an inevitable confrontation your father and I have made certain plans and prepared this box and I've charmed my wand, wedding and engagement rings to port inside if I die as seems increasingly likely. If all goes according to my plan and you survive this box will have reached on your eleventh birthday. Please keep them with you from now on as a memento of me._

_Now you're probably thinking 'but jewellery is for girls, mum' or something like that. That's why they are on a chain … so you can keep them hidden. But please wear them … it is a mother's dying wish."_

After that the letter continued for several pages telling him about what a sweet baby he was and how much like his father he looked as a baby and how much she loved him before ending with.

"_I'm sorry I couldn't be there to see you grow up._

_All my love,_

_Your Mother Lily"_

Harry stared at the letter for a while after he'd read it before fastening the chain round his neck and tucking it underneath his pyjama top. He skimmed through his father's letter which was much the same of his mother's in tone and he was getting tired. He pulled one of the moving photographs of his mother rocking him to sleep as an infant out of the baby book and fell asleep holding it. So it probably wasn't surprising that he dreamed of a woman's voice singing a lullaby to him.

---

It was probably a good thing that the knock at the door came just after Vernon had left for work that morning. Harry went and opened it and found himself facing the largest man he'd ever seen. He was also the wildest looking man he'd ever seen with a mane of hair and a bushy beard that were both so wild and tangled that all Harry could see of his face was a pair of smiling black eyes.

"Mornin', Harry." He said by way of greeting. "Las' time I saw yeh, yeh was only a baby." He looked at Harry appraisingly. "Yeh look a lot like yeh dad, yeh know, but yeh've got yeh mum's eyes."

"You're the person who's going to take Dudley and me to buy our school stuff?" Harry asked once he'd recovered from his shock.

The giant nodded. "I'm Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of the Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts." He began fishing around in his overcoat as if looking for something. "Anyway, a very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat for yeh here." He produced a slightly squashed box from one pocket. "I mighta sat on it at one point but it'll taste alright." He handed the box to Harry who opened it and found a large, sticky chocolate cake with 'Happy Birthday, Harry' sloppily iced on it.

"Thank you, Mr Hagrid." He said politely. Then added "Won't you come in?" as he realised that he had left their visitor standing on the doorstep.

"Jus' call me Hagrid." The giant said as he bent down and squeezed through the doorway. "Everyone does."

Harry led Hagrid into the kitchen and tried to suppress a grin when Dudley made a scared squeaking noise and fled behind his mother. Aunt Petunia also seemed a little taken back but greeted Hagrid politely and made a cup of tea for him and they all shared Harry's cake – he even let Dudley have a slice – before heading out to buy the supplies. A trip which it turned out involved going to London. Hagrid had some 'muggle money' as he called it but he gave it to Aunt Petunia to purchase the tickets because he didn't understand how it worked.

A lot of people on the platform turned to look at Hagrid… probably because he was twice as tall as a normal person. On the train he took up two seats and sat knitting a canary-yellow something or other… Harry wasn't sure what.

"Got yeh letters with yeh boys?" Hagrid looked up briefly. Harry nodded and pulled his out of his pocket while Aunt Petunia produced Dudley's from her bag. "Good. There's a list of everything yeh need in there."

Dudley opened his envelope and pulled his list out as Harry nodded. "I read it." He told Hagrid. "I was a bit disappointed that we're not allowed out own broomsticks." He'd really hoped to buy one. Flying sound wonderful."

"Not in yer Firs' Year." Hagrid told him. "They used ter but there were too many accidents because kids would try an' fly on their own before they'd had lessons."

"Oh." Harry said, put that way the rule made more sense. "Can we really get all this stuff in London?"

"If you know where to go." Hagrid replied and returned his attention to his knitting.

-----

Hagrid did seem to know where he was going but clearly he usually didn't get there by mundane means from the way he complained about the Underground being too slow. Aunt Petunia just chuckled and told him that he should try being in London traffic in a car or bus. Hagrid's rather odd reply was that that would depend on the bus.

Eventually they arrived in a street full of shops none of which looked like a likely purveyor of magical supplies. Hagrid, however, led them straight to a shabby looking pub called the Leaky Cauldron which Harry would have sworn wasn't there a moment before. Apparently everyone knew Hagrid because they smiled and waved before looking curiously at Aunt Petunia in a way that told Harry that non-magical people didn't come in here often. Then the barman recognised Harry and pandemonium broke loose.

"Good Lord!" He said as he peered at Harry for a moment and then hurried out from behind the bar. "Bless my soul. Harry Potter … what an honour." He rushed over to Harry with tears in his eyes and began pumping his hand. "Welcome back, Mr Potter, welcome back."

Harry didn't quite know how to react to this so he looked around the suddenly silent pub. Everyone was staring at him. A moment later it seemed that the customers rose as one and he was surrounded by people who wanted to shake his hand. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Dudley standing not far away with wide eyes and open mouth. He looked shocked … or possibly horrified.

"And who is this young man?" Doris Crockford, one of the women shaking Harry's hand, asked as she noticed Dudley.

"Ah, this is Dudley Dursley." Hagrid told her. "He's Harry's cousin on his mum's side. He going to be startin' at Hogwart's as well … and this is Lily's sister Petunia. She's Harry's guardian."

Doris Crockford promptly started shaking Dudley's hand. "You're so lucky, Mr Dursley, to be the cousin of such a powerful wizard." She told him. Dudley just gaped at her. Apparently he couldn't think of anything to say.

Meanwhile a nervous looking, pale young man approached Harry. He was actually twitching as he walked over.

"Fancy seein' you here, Professor Quirrell!" Hagrid said in surprise. "Lads, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts."

"P-P-Potter," Professor Quirrell stammered as he shook Harry's hand briefly. "C-can't tell you how pleased I am to finally meet you."

"What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?"

"Defence Against the D-Dark Arts." He sounded terrified of his own subject. "N-not that you n-need it, eh, Potter." Even his laughter at his feeble attempt at a joke sounded nervous. Harry caught sight of Aunt Petunia watching the young Professor with a dubious expression on her face.

"Hadn't we better get going?" She asked Hagrid, perhaps a touch too loudly, interrupting whatever Professor Quirrell had been about to say.

In the end it took another ten minutes to extricate themselves from the crowd who wanted to meet Harry. Once they had Hagrid led them out of the back door of the pub into a small, weedy courtyard.

"That teacher…" Aunt Petunia said in a disapproving tone. "How will his students learn Defence from him if he's scared of his own shadow?"

"Ah, well, yes. Poor bloke." Hagrid explained. "Brilliant mind but he's had some bad experiences. He took a year off ter get some first hand experience … They say he met vampires in the Black Forest and there was a nasty bit o' trouble with a hag… he's not been the same since." He pulled a pink Umbrella from under his coat. "Dumbledore says that he'll get his confidence back in time." He started counting bricks above the dustbin.

"I see…" Aunt Petunia still sounded dubious. "Oh!" This last was because Hagrid had tapped a brick three times with his umbrella and it had started visibly quivering. A small hole appeared in the brick and started growing. A mere moment later there was an archway there. It was large enough for even Hagrid to fit through and led on to a cobbled street which twisted and turned out of sight. "Oh!" Aunt Petunia repeated. Harry glanced at her and saw that her eyes were wide. He couldn't blame her though since he was no less amazed himself. Hagrid grinned down at them.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley." He said as he ushered them through the archway. Harry glanced back in time to see the archway shrink back into a solid wall. As he turned back a glint caught his eye and he looked over at the closest shop. There was a sign outside which declared it to sell Cauldrons of all types – a claim backed up by the piles of cauldrons that were stacked up outside glinting in the sunlight.

"Yeah, you'll both be needin' one." Hagrid said as he followed Harry's eyes, "But we've gotta get yer money first and yer Aunt needs to change some of her muggle money into real money. So first stop'll be Gringotts." With that he led them off down the fascinating street and Harry found himself turning his head from side to side trying not to miss anything because everything was so fascinating and extraordinary.

A soft hooting drew his attention to a small, dark shop that he'd almost missed among the brighter whirl of shops selling broomsticks, books, robes and other odder things A sign declared it to be "Eeylops Owl Emporium." So involved was Harry in looking around that he nearly didn't notice when Hagrid stopped outside a tall, white building.

"Gringotts," Hagrid said. The doors were made from highly polished bronze and standing beside them in a scarlet and gold uniform was a short, not quite human creature with a swarthy, clever face, hooked nose and pointed beard. As it reached out and opened the doors for them Harry noticed that it had very long fingers.

"That's a goblin." Hagrid told them in a whisper as the goblin bowed to them. "Goblins run Gringotts." Inside there was a second set of doors, this time of silver, with words engraved on them. Harry read the threatening rhyme and then looked up at Hagrid. "Yeh'd be mad to try an' rob it." Was all the giant said.

Another pair of goblins bowed then through the silver doors and into a vast marble hall. There were over a hundred goblins sitting on high stools behind a long counter. Most of them were scribbling in ledgers or weighing coins on shiny brass scales but a few seemed to assessing the quality of gemstones and others were showing customers in and out of the countless doors that led off the hall.

"Mornin'" Hagrid had led them to a free goblin. "We've come to take some money outta Mr Harry Potter's safe."

"You have his key, sir?"

"Got it here somewhere." Hagrid emptied his pockets on the counter. The goblin and Aunt Petunia developed near identical expressions of distaste when he scattered mouldy dog biscuits everywhere. At last he produced a tiny golden key. "Got it!"

The goblin looked at it closely. "That seems to be in order."

"An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore." Hagrid threw out his chest importantly. "It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."

The goblin read the letter carefully. "Very well, I will have someone take you to both vaults…"

"Oh, one more thing, Mrs Dursley here," Hagrid gestured to Aunt Petunia, "Needs to change some muggle money so she can buy her son's Hogwarts stuff."

The goblin turned his attention to Aunt Petunia. "How much do you wish to exchange, madam?"

"I'm not sure how much I'll need." Aunt Petunia held up the £500 that she had withdrawn from her savings earlier.

"At current prices and exchange rate Two Hundred muggle pounds should be enough for now but if you want to exchange the rest now we can open a vault for your son." The goblin told her.

"That's a good idea." Aunt Petunia nodded and they spent the next half hour waiting while his Aunt and Cousin filled in forms and discussed potential investments with the goblin. After that was done the Goblin called over another goblin, who's name was Griphook, to take them down to the vaults. As Griphook led them through one of the doors leading off the hall Harry turned to Hagrid.

"What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" he asked.

"Can't tell yeh that. Hagrid replied. "Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth to tell yeh that."

Beyond the door was a narrow stone passageway that sloped down steeply. There were railway tracks in the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart hurtled up to them. All five of them squeezed into it which was no easy task with Dudley, let alone Hagrid, along.

The cart set off at a break neck speed through a maze of tunnels, plunging deeper and deeper into the Earth. At one point they passed an underground lake in a beautiful cavern where huge stalactites and stalagmites grew. Harry was quite enjoying the ride but Hagrid looked rather green.

"That was so cool!" Dudley said when they stopped. "Better than a rollercoaster!"

Hagrid however looked rather sick and was leaning against to wall in order to stop his knees shaking.

"This is your new vault, Mr Dursley." Griphook said before opening the door and ceremonially piling the gold, silver and bronze coins that weren't in the small pouch that Aunt Petunia was carrying. Griphook handed her the key. "You keep this until he's seventeen, madam."

They all got back into the cart and Hagrid turned to Griphook. "Mr Potter's vault next, please, and can we go more slowly?"

"One speed only." Griphook replied.

If possible Hagrid looked even greener when they reached Harry's vault. Griphook unlocked the door and green smoke came billowing out. As it cleared Harry couldn't help but gasp at the sight of piles upon piles of gold, silver and bronze coins.

"All yours." Hagrid told him. Harry turned to stare at Aunt Petunia who also looked slightly taken aback at the sight. Dudley was gawking like an idiot again.

"I knew that your father was comfortably off… but this is unexpected."

"The gold ones are Galleons." Hagrid explained as he shovelled some of it into a bag. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Bronze Knuts to a Sickle."

"And I thought that pre-decimal 'muggle' money was bad." Aunt Petunia muttered. Hagrid and Dudley looked as puzzled at this as Harry felt but Griphook chuckled.

"We've been trying to persuade the ministry to shift to a decimalised currency for many years." He told her. "But they think it's some sort of trick."

Another wild cart ride later and they finally reached Vault seven hundred and thirteen. The first thing Harry noticed was that the door had no keyhole.

"Stand back." Griphook warned them before he stroked the door gently with one of his long fingers and it melted away. "If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that they'd be sucked inside and trapped."

"How often do you check to see if someone's inside?" Harry asked.

"About every ten years." Griphook grinned nastily as Hagrid went into the vault. Harry and Dudley both leaned forward because they were eager to see what amazing treasure was kept in such a high security vault. In fact it looked empty until Harry saw a grubby little parcel wrapped in brown paper in the floor. Hagrid picked it up and hid it deep inside his coat. Harry was curious of course but knew that he wouldn't get an answer even if he asked. Dudley, on the other hand, didn't seem to understand that.

"What's that?" He demanded.

"Can't tell yeh." Hagrid replied. Dudley opened his mouth to protest but Aunt Petunia nudged him firmly. Harry suppressed a smirk… embarrassing her in public was the one thing that his Aunt would not let Dudley get away with.

"Dudley." She said in a tone that her son understood at once. "Be polite." Dudley fell silent at once.

"C'mon." Hagrid said. "Back in this infernal cart… and don't talk to me on the way back it's best if I keep my mouth shut."

----

"Might as well get yer uniforms first." Hagrid told them as they stood blinking in the sunlight after they exited Gringotts. He nodded towards a nearby shop called _Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions_ and then added. "Would yeh mind if I slipped for a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them Gringotts carts."

"You do look a bit ill." Aunt Petunia said sympathetically. "I'm sure that we can manage this bit."

As they approached the door to Madam Malkin's shop a boy with a pale, pointed face exited. He took the three of them in with a withering glance that fairly dripped contempt and muttered what sounded like 'damned mudbloods' as he pushed back them.

"Charming." In spite of the fact that Harry was fairly sure they'd just been mortally insulted Aunt Petunia seemed more amused than offended.

By the time Harry and Dudley were fitted for their robes Hagrid had returned. It was a hot day and he suggested that they all stop for an ice cream before they carried on with their shopping. Aunt Petunia agreed so they stopped at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour and ordered a Sundae each. Harry was about halfway through his – and Dudley had nearly finished his second – when someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned and found a girl about his age with short pallid blonde hair and pale grey eyes looking at him.

"Uh, hi." She said looking down shyly. "Pardon the interruption but are – uh – are you Harry Potter?"

"Um… yes." Harry braced himself for more gushing like in the Leaky Cauldron but instead she just smiled.

"I thought so. I'm Daphne Greengrass. Our mothers were friends at Hogwarts." She held out her hand. "I hope that we can continue the tradition." Harry considered for a moment and then accepted the handshake.

"I hope so too." He finally returned her smile and she glanced round the table.

"You must be Hagrid." She offered him her hand as well. "Helping Harry get his stuff?"

"Yes." Hagrid shook her hand quickly but Harry got the definite impression that he didn't like her. Daphne, however, seemed unperturbed by this and turned her attention to Aunt Petunia and Dudley.

"You're Lily's sister aren't you?" She asked. "Mum told me that Harry was being cared for by his muggle relatives."

"I am." Aunt Petunia smiled. "And this is my son Dudley. He's going to be starting at Hogwarts as welll."

"Really?" Daphne gave Dudley an appraising and mildly surprised look. "There must be a strong, submerged magical thread in the Evan's line to produce two magical children in two generations."

"Would you like to join us for the rest of our shopping?" Harry asked.

"That depends on my parents." She shrugged. "But I wouldn't mind." She glanced up the street. "Here they are now." She waved at the two adults who were approaching the table.

As it turned out Daphne's parents were amenable to the idea but she still needed to fitted for her school robes so they parted company after they finished their sundaes.

"Yer want to be careful of that girl." Hagrid said darkly once they were out of earshot. "Both her parents were in Slytherin. I don't think that she'll be any different."

"That's one of the School Houses right?" Dudley asked before Harry could. "Professor McGonagall mentioned them."

"Yeah." Hagrid paused. "There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one."

Harry was confused for a moment and then remembered what Aunt Petunia had told them about many people in the magical world not liking to say Voldemort's name. "You mean Voldemort?" He asked.

"Yeah… and don't say the name."

"So all Slytherins are bad because Voldemort was one?" Hagrid shot him a look and began shuffling nervously.

"Did I say that'? I've known some perfectly decent Slytherins in my time… but most of 'em are bad…. And don't say the name!" He repeated. Harry just rolled his eyes. He was about to say more but they'd reached _Flourish and Blotts_ which, apparently, was where they'd get their school books. Even Dudley, who hated reading, seemed somewhat impressed with them. Of course mundane books didn't tell you how to do magic so that probably explained it.

After getting their books they bought their cauldrons, scales and telescopes before heading to the apothecary's, where Aunt Petunia waited outside because she couldn't stomach the smell, to buy basic potions ingredients. Then there were only their wands left to buy… except that Hagrid suddenly stopped…

"Oh yeah, I still haven't got yeh a birthday present."

Harry blinked and stared at him. "You don't have to…" He began.

"I know I don't have ter." Hagrid replied. "I want ter. Tell yeh what, I'll get you an owl. They're dead useful, carry your post an' everythin'."

When they emerged from _Eeylops Owl Emporium _twenty minutes later Harry was holding a large cage which held a beautiful Snowy Owl, Aunt Petunia was looking stressed and Dudley was still sulking because she wouldn't buy him an owl even after he had a tantrum. As she had pointed out he had a proven track record of not looking after pets so it just wouldn't be right. Harry in the meantime was stammering his thanks to Hagrid.

"Don't mention it. Just Ollivanders left now – only place for wands."

If _Ollivanders_ really was the place to buy a wand it didn't look it. It was narrow and shabby and not at all impressive. Inside the shop was quiet and felt a lot like a strict library. The atmosphere even got to Dudley who began to fidget nervously. There was only a single chair which Hagrid chivalrously let Aunt Petunia take. Harry looked around at the thousands of narrow boxes and wondered where the shopkeeper was.

"Good afternoon." A soft voice answered his unspoken question and Harry turned to look at the speaker.

"Hello." He replied politely.

"Ah, yes, Harry Potter. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. You have your mother's eyes. Why it seems only yesterday that she bought her first wand here. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. A definite charms wand." Mr Ollivander seemed almost to glide closer and Harry was torn between shivering at his creepiness and laughing at his bizarre behaviour. "Your father favoured a mahogany wand. Eleven inches, pliable. Excellent for Transfiguration. Well I say that he favoured it but really it's the other way round. The wand chooses the wizard." He walked closer to Harry and laid a finger on his scar. "I'm afraid that I sold the wand that did this. Thirteen and a half inches. Yew. A very powerful wand… and in the wrong hands… if I had known what that wand would do out in the world I would have broken it myself."

"It's not your fault." Harry interrupted him. "I mean you had no way to know and it wasn't the wand that made Voldemort evil was it?" He rolled his eyes again as Mr Ollivander jumped at the name and Hagrid said.

"Don't say the name!"

"Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid!" Mr Ollivander seemed only to notice Hagrid when he spoke. "How nice to see you again … Oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?"

"It was, sir, yes."

"Good wand, that was. I suppose that they snapped it when you got expelled?"

"Er… yes, they did, yes … but I've still got the pieces."

"Why were you expelled?" Dudley asked as Mr Ollivander opened his mouth to say something else.

"Better get on with business." Hagrid said loudly, obviously ignoring Dudley's question. "Harry and his cousin need their wands."

Mr Ollivander proceeded to measure Harry for his wand as he explained about the three magical cores.

"So it's the combination of wood, core, flexibility and length that determines the wand's nature?" He asked.

"Very good." Mr Ollivander murmured. "Very good indeed." Before giving Harry a wand to try. Nothing happened with that wand, or the next one or the one after that… indeed dozens of wands were rejected before Mr Ollivander handed him the 11" Holly and Phoenix feather wand that produced a stream of red and gold sparks when he waved it.

Mr Ollivander wrapped the wand up muttering about it being curious the whole time. Eventually Harry could not contain himself.

"I'm sorry, but what's curious?"

"This wand… I remember every wand that I've ever sold, Mr Potter… and it so happens that the phoenix who's tail feather is in your wand donated one other feather. Just one. It's curious that this wand should choose you when its brother gave you that scare… yes it's curious how these things happen." He stared at Harry a moment longer before turning his attention to Dudley. Finding Dudley's wand proved much quicker and he was soon aired with a wand that Mr Ollivander described as "Sycamore and Unicorn tail hair, ten and a half inches, perhaps a little rigid. A decent all round wand… if lacking in any specific strengths."

They each paid the seven Galleons for their wands and Mr Ollivander bowed them from his shop.

Aunt Petunia bought them dinner in a smart restaurant before they headed home with their tickets and Hagrid's instruction not to miss the train ringing in their ears.

---

Please R&R


	5. Chapter Four

**Title:** Legacy  
**Author:** Shutsumon  
**Pairings:** None yet. We'll see in the sequels.  
**Summary:** How would Harry's life have been different if Petunia had acted like a Human being, if Dudley had been a wizard too and if Lily had left a legacy for her beloved son? How would it have been the same? Just another AU of book 1.

**A/N: **Unbeta'd… it is with the beta so I'll reupload once it's done but I wanted to get it up because it's been so long. Oh, and I now have a forum on and a yahoo group you can join if you want to nag me between updates. In fact I'd be grateful if you did. I respond well to nagging. The forum can be found on my user page and the group is shutsumons-writings (the full URL can be found on the forum).

**Disclaimer: **Belongs to JKR not me.

**LEGACY**

**Chapter Four**

**On the Train**

The next month really was not fun for Harry. Uncle Vernon was still blaming him for Dudley's being a wizard. Worse yet while Vernon was still ignoring Dudley his cousin was back on speaking terms with his gang. Which meant that 'Harry hunting' was once again a favoured pastime. As a result Harry spent much of his time locked in his room reading through his mother's diaries and his school books. His only real company was his owl — whom he named Hedwig after someone mentioned in _A History of Magic. _Both the diaries and his school books were interesting and he found himself reading them late into the night as he tried to make sense of them. After a few days of obsessive reading he even began to dream about talking to his mother about them.

As August drew to a close Aunt Petunia began the process of ever so carefully bullying Uncle Vernon into taking them to Kings Cross. It was fortunate that over the years they had been married she had learned to handle him because this allowed her to succeed at this with minimum explosions on his part. He was, however, rather sulky about the whole business and stayed in the car once they got there. Aunt Petunia, on the other hand, came in to see them off.

"What platform does your train leave from?" She asked once their stuff was loaded onto trolleys. Harry consulted his ticket.

"It says platform 93/4's." He said slowly. Aunt Petunia blinked and looked over at Dudley who was also checking.

"That's what it says, mummy."

"How odd." She led them towards platforms Nine and Ten. "It must be some kind of magic thing so we can't really ask a guard — now I wish that I had come along when Lily used to go."

They hovered around in the vicinity of platforms Nine and Ten and tried to figure out where to go next.

"I think that Hagrid must have forgotten to tell us some.." Harry began and then trailed off as he heard somebody behind him mention muggles. He turned round quickly enough to spot a family of red heads walk past them with a trolley loaded with trunks and an owl. He heard them discussing the platform number. "Lucky." He muttered under his breath and headed towards them quickly. The eldest of the boys had already gone onto the platform by the time he reached them but in spite of watching carefully Harry had failed to see how because a group of tourists had blocked his view at the key moment. He screwed up his courage. "Excuse me." He said to the plump woman who seemed to be the mother of the kids. She turned and surveyed him and Dudley with a kindly smile.

"Hullo, dears. First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new too." She pointed at the youngest boy — a gangling red head.

"That's right." Harry nodded. "But the thing is we don't know how to get onto the platform."

"Not to worry." She smiled. "All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. Don't stop and don't be scared that you'll crash into it. That's very important. Best to do it a run if you're nervous."

"Erm, okay…" Harry said wondering how he was supposed not to worry about crashing. "Thanks." He ran a nervous hand through his hair and the woman spotted his scar.

"My goodness! You're Harry Potter!" She gasped.

"Yes, I am!" He admitted bracing himself for more gushing. She must have noticed because she smiled again.

"Sorry, dear, I was just caught by surprise. Getting fawned over must get old after a while. I'm Molly Weasley and these are Fred and George," she pointed to a pair of twins, "Ron, as I said." She gestured to her youngest son again. "And this is my daughter Ginny." She gestured to a young girl.

"Pleased to meet you." Harry said and gestured to his aunt and cousin. "This is my cousin Dudley and my Aunt Petunia."

"Ah, you must be Lily's sister." Molly smiled. "I only met her a few times but she was a lovely girl. Nice and Polite just like Harry seems to be."

Aunt Petunia nodded and was about to reply when she glanced up at one of the clocks. "Huh … we only have five minutes."

"Oh!" Molly said and turned to the twins. "You two go first. Show Harry and his cousin how it's done."

"Rightio!" said the first twin. Harry thought that it was Fred unless they had swapped places. He set off towards the barrier. Harry watched carefully and in the split second before he would have crashed he vanished. A moment later the second twin, probably George, followed and also vanished.

"You and Dudley go next before Ron." Molly said.

"Er – OK." Harry glanced over at Dudley and was relieved to see that his cousin looked even more nervous than he felt.

"Like I said do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous." Molly reminded them. "And you'll have to say goodbye to your aunt here, I'm afraid. She can't get on to the platform at all."

"Okay." Harry hugged Aunt Petunia before heading towards the barrier at a run with his eyes closed. In spite of Molly's warning he was sure that he was going to crash –

But he didn't and when he opened his eyes again he was next to a steam train on a crowded platform. He glanced back just in time to see Dudley appear through a wrought iron archway where the ticket box had been. _Platform Nine and Three Quarters _it declared.

Finding space on the train proved difficult and with a sinking heart he realised that he would have to share a compartment with Dudley. Which was definitely not something that he had wanted to do – but there was no helping it. On the upside while he and Dudley were trying to get their trunks into the compartment that they had finally found the Weasley twins appeared and offered to help which saved Harry, who had already dropped his own trunk on his toes twice from being bullied into struggling with Dudley's trunk as well. Once the trunks were stowed Harry and Dudley sat down in opposite corners of the compartment and studiously tried to ignore each other while the twins returned to their family having heard their mother calling them. Harry was relieved. They'd looked like they wanted to ask loads of questions.

From his seat by the window Harry could see the Weasley's gathered on the platform. Molly was currently rubbing at Ron's nose with a handkerchief while the boy tried to wriggle free.

"Where's Percy?" She asked.

"He's coming now." Fred, or was it George, pointed to where the oldest boy had just come striding into sight. He was already in his robes and Harry saw a big silver badge with a 'P' on it on his chest.

"Can't stay long, Mother." He said in a ridiculously pompous tone. "I'm up front with the Prefects."

Harry decided that Percy the Prefect was something of an ass. The twins obviously agreed because they started mocking him but Molly was obviously proud of him and had bought him new robes. From the envy that the rest of boys showed about this Harry gathered that they weren't too well off.

After Percy had gone he heard Molly exhorting the twins not to blow up any toilets – which apparently only served to give them ideas – and to look after Ron. They teased Ron a little bit about that before mentioning how they had helped him and Dudley onto the train.

"Poor dear." Molly said – and Harry knew that she meant him. "He seems like a nice polite young man. He looks like his father except for having his other's eyes and I think he takes after her more as well."

"Yes, yes … but do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?"

"Don't you dare ask him that Fred!" Molly snapped. "The poor boy does not need reminding of such things."

"All right!" Fred seemed taken aback by her vehemence. "Keep your hair on!"

It was then that the train whistle sounded and the twins and Ron clambered on to the train. Not long after the train began to move and Harry felt a great leap of excitement. Surely this was going to be wonderful… even if he did have to put up with Dudley. A few minutes passed and then the door slid open and Ron Weasley peered in.

"Anyone sitting there?" He asked pointing to the seat opposite Harry. "Everywhere else is full."

Harry shook his head and the boy sat down to Dudley. He kept glancing at Harry and then looking away – trying to pretend that he hadn't looked.

"Hey, Ron!" The twins returned long enough to tell their brother that they were going to see a giant tarantula – a fact which, Harry noticed, made Ron shudder – and to formally introduce themselves to Harry and Dudley even though their mother had already done it.

Almost as soon as they had gone Ron went back to casting furtive glances at Harry who found it irritating and amusing by equal measure.

"You can look at me you know; I don't bite." He said finally and Ron's ears turned red. After that they sat in silence for a while but at least Ron had stopped pretending not to stare.

"Do you really have – you know…" Ron blurted suddenly before trailing off as his ears turned red again.

Harry did indeed know and pulled back his fringe to show off his scar. Ron stared even more if that were possible. Harry, however, risked a glance at Dudley and saw that his cousin did not look happy at all. Of course he was used to being the popular one so he was probably jealous.

"So that's where You-Know-Who … ?"

"So I've been told." Harry said. "I don't remember what happened."

"What nothing?" Ron seemed delighted that he'd mentioned it. Probably since it got him round his mother restriction.

"Well I remember lots of green light but nothing else."

"Wow!"

"So are all your family wizards?" Harry asked. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Dudley lean forward to catch Ron's answer and suppressed a grin. Apparently his cousin was as interested as he was.

"I think so." Ron seemed to think for a moment. "I think mum's got a second cousin who's an accountant but we don't talk about him."

"Why not?" Dudley finally spoke up.

"Well, you see, squib relatives are sort of embarrassing." Ron looked a little guilty about that. "So they sort of get swept under the carpet."

"What's a squib?" Harry asked before Dudley could.

"It's what we call someone from a Wizarding family who doesn't have any magic." There was an uncomfortable pause and then Ron said. "So what's the Muggle World like?" the question was aimed at both Harry and Dudley.

"Sort of mixed." Harry said after a moment. "I guess that people are people whether they have magic or not. Which means they are a right mixed bunch."

"I like it." Dudley said. "I had lots of friends. It was rather a shock getting the letter."

"Yes, I suppose it must be if you don't know." Ron agreed.

"So, what's it like having three wizarding brothers?" Harry asked.

"Five." Ron looked gloomy. "And one witch sister but she isn't starting at Hogwarts until next year. But be glad that you aren't the sixth in your family to go to Hogwarts. Bill was Head Boy, Charlie was Quidditch captain. Now Percy is a prefect. Even Fred and George get good grades and they mess around a lot. So I'm expected to do as well but even if I do no one will care because they did it first." Ron sighed. "And I never get anything new either. I have Bill's old robe, Charlie's old wand and Percy's old rat." He pulled out a fat, grey rat that seemed to be sleeping. "His name is Scabbers and he's useless. Sleeps all the time. Percy got an owl from dad because he was made prefect but they couldn't aff- I mean I just got Scabbers instead." Ron turned red again and went back to looking out of the window.

Harry realised that he must be embarrassed about not being able to afford an owl. He didn't think that it was anything to be ashamed of but guessed that that would sound like hollow platitudes to Ron so he decided to ask more about the Wizarding World instead.

"Um… until the letter came I didn't know anything about being a wizard or my parents or Voldemort… Could." He trailed off as Ron gasped.

"You said You-Know-Who's name!" Ron sounded shocked and impressed. "I'd have thought that you of all people …"

"It's just a name, Ron." Harry rolled his eyes. "And a silly one at that. I've said it several times and I haven't been struck by lightning yet." Harry paused. "But what I was going to ask is if you could tell us more about the Magical World. We have no idea what to expect."

So Ron spent the next little while telling them about the Wizarding world. He was just explaining the rules of Quidditch and why it was such a great game when there was a clattering in the corridor and a woman popped her head into the compartment.

"Anything from the trolley, dears?" She asked. Ron's ear went red yet again and he muttered something about having sandwiches.

It was a long time since breakfast so Harry and Dudley both went to see what she had. Not that she had any brand of sweet that they knew. Instead what she had were things like pumpkin pasties, chocolate frogs and liquorice wands. Neither boy wanted to miss anything so they both bought some of everything. When they came back and tipped it onto the seat Ron stared at it.

"Hungry?" He asked.

"Well we had to set out early to catch the train." Harry explained and took a bite of a pasty. Ron had taken out his sandwiches in the meantime and was muttering about not liking corned beef. Harry considered for a moment and then offered to trade him a pasty.

"You don't want this – it's all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time." He added defensively.

"Go on, have a pasty." Said Harry who thought it was a rather nice feeling to finally have someone to share stuff with. Rather predictably Dudley was less inclined to share and was hoarding his sweets in the corner. After a moment Ron agreed and they sat there eating their way through Harry's pasties and cakes. After they'd finished Harry picked up a Chocolate Frog.

"These aren't really frogs are they?" He asked. He didn't think he'd be surprised if they were but ugh.

"No," Ron said. "But see what the card is, I'm missing Agrippa."

"What?" Harry asked.

"Card?" Dudley asked simultaneously as he opened one of his frogs. A card fell out and he picked it up. "Oh! Collectible Cards! Cool!" Dudley was a collector of such cards that came in certain muggle sweets he liked. Harry opened his own frog and looked at the card as Ron explained.

"Oh, of course you wouldn't know having live in the Muggle World. Chocolate frogs come with cards of famous witches and wizards. I collect them but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy – They're both rare."

"I've got Medea." Dudley said as he read the back of his car. Harry looked at the wizard on his card and realised that it was Dumbledore.

"Ah, so this is Dumbledore."

"What! You'd never heard of Dumbledore." Ron seemed flabbergasted. "Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa."

Harry nodded and handed Ron a frog as he read the back of the card.

"Hey! These pictured move!" Dudley nearly dropped the picture he was holding.

"Well you can't expect them to stand still all day." Ron looked at his card. "Morgana again." He sighed and offered it to Harry. "Here, you can start collecting."

"Thanks." Harry took the card and handed Ron another Frog. "In muggle pictures the people don't move." He told him.

"Weird." Ron looked at him. "That must be uncomfortable."

"Erm … no … don't think so." Harry said neutrally. "Muggle pictures work differently."

While Dudley wouldn't share his chocolate he was perfectly happy o swap cards with both boys and soon both he and Harry had the seeds of a decent collection. Harry thought that it might well be the most civilised couple of hours that he had ever spent with his cousin. After a while though he tired of chocolate and reached for a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavoured Beans.

"Be careful with those!" Ron warned. "They really are every flavour. George even says he had a bogey flavoured one once." He proceeded to bite into a green one and declare that it was sprouts. They were eating the beans and watching the countryside get gradually wilder when there was a knock on the door and a tearful looking round faced boy came in and asked if the had seen a toad. They had a good look round the compartment then shook their heads. This only made the boy wail that he'd lost him. Harry patted him on the shoulder and offered him a liquorice wand.

"Here, have this." He said in a calming tone. "And sit down. You need to calm down and think about this. Then you'll work out where to look."

"Y-yes, thank you." The boy nodded after a moment and sat down opposite Dudley. "You're right. I'm Neville Longbottom by the way." They introduced themselves in response and when Harry said his name Neville started so badly he literally nearly fell out of his seat. "Uh – wow!" He said. "I should have known that you'd be on the train – your birthday is the day after mine." He paused. "But I forgot…" He trailed off somewhat lamely as there was a rap on the door and a girl with bushy hair and large front teeth came in.

"Has anyone seen a toad?" She asked in a bossy tone. "Nev…" She stopped as she saw Neville sitting there. "Oh you're here."

"We're trying to calm him down." Harry told her. "I'm Harry Potter and you are?"

"Hermione Granger … and are you really? I've read all about you. You're in all the modern history books about the magical world. I bought several for extra reading but I haven't memorised them yet." She paused and then added in a defensive tone. "I have, however, learnt all out set books by heart of course. I just hope that it's enough."

The four boys stared at her for a moment and Harry was relieved to see that he wasn't alone in not having learned the books by heart. Come to think of it he wasn't sure it was even a good idea.

"Should you have done that?" He asked her after a moment. "I mean if magical school is anything like muggle school they won't like you just quoting the textbook. The want you to understand it."

Hermione, however, just stared at him blankly for a moment. She obviously completely missed his point. After a moment she shook her head. "So do any of you know what house you'll be in yet? I've been asking around ad I hope I'm in Gryffindor. It sounds the best. They say Dumbledore himself was a Gryffindor but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad. Anyway come along Neville, let's go and find your toad." She told him and dragged the boy out of the compartment.

"Whatever house she's in I hope that I'm not." Ron said after a moment. "She's scary."

"What houses are your brothers in?" Harry asked.

"Gryffindor… my parents were as well." Ron said gloomily. "I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I guess they'd be okay with Ravenclaw or even Hufflepuff but imagine if I get put in Slytherin." He shuddered briefly.

"Why does everyone have this giant bias against Slytherin house?" Harry asked.

"Well they're evil aren't they?" Ron said after a moment. "You-Know-Who was a Slytherin!" He added as if that clinched the matter.

"I know which house Voldemort was in." Harry said making Ron jump again. "But why would they let the house exist if all its members were evil?" Ron looked confused by the question.

"Slytherin's are evil!" he said finally. "Everyone knows that." It seemed that Ron had an even bigger prejudice than Hagrid about Slytherins. Harry decided to play his trump card on the issue.

"Ah, I see. So my mother was evil?" He kept his tone mild and managed to keep his amusement out of it.

"Eh?" said Ron.

"Given the nature of the war my parents knew they were likely to die and left letters for me. My Aunt gave them to me on my birthday. Among other things I learned that my father was a Gryffindor and my mother was in Slytherin."

"Oh…" Ron turned red again. He was obviously embarrassed to have called a heroine of the war evil.. He seemed to think for a moment before conceding. "Hum… I guess there exceptions to every rule."

Harry snorted to himself but decided not to push it further. His mother's letter and what he'd read of her diaries were enough to tell him that there was enough attitude problems and just plain nasty people in Slytherin to cause this misperception – but then all the houses had their problems but only Slytherin got so much flak. Still he decided to change the subject. "So what do your brothers do now they've left?"

"Oh, Charlie is in Romania studying dragons and Bill's in Africa working for Gringotts." Ron seemed relieved by this change of topic. "Oh, did you hear about Gringotts? I don't suppose you get the Daily Prophet with muggles. Someone tried to rob a high security vault."

"What happened to them?" Dudley asked before Harry could. From his tone it was clear that he wanted all the gory details.

"Nothing!" Ron said. "That's why it's such big news. Dad says that only a really powerful Dark Wizard could get round their security. That's why everyone is scared when something like this happens. They worry that You-Know-Who is behind it."

"You know things are a lot less scary if you use their proper names." Harry said dryly but Ron was obviously not convinced. Harry sighed. "So tell us more about Quidditch… it sounds like fun."

"Oh it is!" Ron was about to say more when the compartment door slid open again but it wasn't Neville or Hermione this time. Instead three boys piled in. The Middle one looked vaguely familiar and after a moment Harry placed him as the boy that they'd seen coming out of Madam Malkins. He was looking at Harry with interest.

"Is it true? Everyone is saying that Harry Potter is in the compartment. So it's you is it?"

"Yes, it is." Harry replied blandly as he looked at the other two boys. They were big and mean looking and reminded Harry of Dudley's gang.

"Oh this is Crabbe and Goyle." The boy said in an offhanded kind of tone when he saw where Harry was looking. "And I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

At that Ron made a coughing noise that was meant to cover a snigger but failed badly. Draco Malfoy glared at him.

"You think my name is funny? No need to ask who you are. My father says that all the Weasley's have freckles and more children than they can afford." He turned his attention back to Harry. "You'll soon find out that some Wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." And he held out his hand for Harry to shake.

Harry shook the offered hand perfunctorily, no need to antagonise anyone after all, and looked from Draco to Ron with a raised eyebrow. "Are you two quite done with insulting each others families in an attempt to impress me and score points because I'm not impressed." He looked back at Draco. "And thank you but I prefer to make up my own mind about people."

Ron's ears turned red yet again and a faint pink tinge appeared in Draco's cheeks. Both looked a little sheepish as if they'd been caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

"I'm sure that you do, Potter." Malfoy said after a moment. "But if you hang around with… with riff-raff like this mudblood here…" He pointed to Dudley. "They'll rub off on you." Harry got the impression that Draco really wanted to mention Ron's family again but had refrained because Harry's astuteness had embarrassed him.

"What?" Said Dudley. Much to Harry's surprise his cousin was apparently bright enough to realise he'd been insulted.

"He's my cousin!" Harry told him just as Ron leapt to his feet and yelled.

"Don't call him that!" His face was even redder than before. Mudblood must be a really bad insult. Looking from Ron to Draco and back Harry realised that he had to stop this before it got out of hand.

"Look I think you should leave before you insult anyone else." He suggested mildly.

"Ah, but we don't feel like leaving, do we boys?" Draco said. "We've eaten all our food and you still have some."

Goyle in the meantime was reaching for the remaining sweets but then he stopped, let out a pained yelp and jerked his hand back. Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp teeth sunk deep into his knuckle. Goyle howled and started to swing Scabbers round and round. Crabbe and Malfoy backed away but Harry just sighed again and grabbed Goyle's arm.

"Stop that! You'll make it worse!" He told the boy as he firmly but gently prized Scabbers jaws from the finger and handed the rat back to Ron. The three boys disappeared without so much as a thank you and a moment later the door opened yet again and Hermione Granger came back in.

"What has been going on here?" She asked, staring at the chaotic sight before her.

"Ron, however, was too busy checking Scabbers for injury. "I don't believe it! He's gone back to sleep again."

"Well biting Goyle was probably enough excitement for one day." Harry grinned and then turned to Hermione. "Can we help you?"

"I thought that you might like to know that we're nearly there so you'd better get changed." She told him and looked around again. "You haven't been fighting have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there."

Ron scowled at her. "Scabbers was defending us!" He told her. "And would you mind leaving while we change?"

"All right!" She said sniffily. "I only came in because people outside are behaving like children."

"Maybe because they are children?" Harry interrupted neutrally. The girl glared at him and stomped out. Ron and, to Harry's surprise, Dudley both grinned.

"Maybe because they are children?" Ron repeated. "That was class, mate, you really told her."

"Thanks." Harry said as they began to get into their robes. Ron's Robes seemed a little short for him Harry noticed. As the driver announced that they would reach Hogwarts in five minutes Harry began to feel nervous. Looking over e noticed that Ron had gone pale and Dudley was actually sweating. Somehow Dudley being nervous than he was made him feel better.

When the train finally stopped and they managed to disembark onto the dark platform it was a cold night and the stood there shivering until a lamp appeared bobbing over their heads.

"Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here!" Hagrid's voice boomed over their heads and a moment later he appeared and beamed at Harry over the sea of heads. "All right there, Harry? Dudley?" He asked. The two boys nodded and he beamed again. "C'mon, follow me – any more firs' years? Mind yer step now! Firs'-years follow me!" Hagrid led them down a steep, narrow path that was extremely slippery. Harry rather thought that they were in a forest because of how dark it was … Everybody was quiet because they were concentrating on keeping their feet.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sigh of Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "Jus' round this bend here."

"Ooh!" Everyone exclaimed and Harry stopped short at the sight of the vast castle and lake. He was glad that his cousin did as well because he was just in front of Dudley and could easily have been trampled if his cousin had kept walking.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called and Harry spotted a fleet of little boats floating near the lake shore. He, Ron and Dudley ended up in the same boat as Neville. A moment later Hagrid, who had a boat to himself, called out. "Everyone in?" When there were no negative responses he shouted. "Right then – FORWARD!"

The boats glided across the lake under their own power accompanied by an eerie silence as everyone stared at the approaching castle on it's cliff. Just as it seemed that they would hit the Ivy covered cliff Hagrid yelled for them to put their heads down and did just that as his boat disappeared through the ivy. The other boats followed and soon they were under the castle and travelling towards an underground harbour. They all clambered out onto the rocks and pebbles as Hagrid found Trevor the toad much to Neville's delight. Then they followed Hagrid up a passageway and emerged onto a lawn in front of the castle's doors.

"This place is cool!" Dudley whispered as they climbed the stone steps to the huge oak door. As Hagrid knocked on the doors Harry could not help agreeing with his cousin for once.


	6. Chapter Five

**Title:** Legacy  
**Author:** Shutsumon  
**Pairings:** None yet. We'll see in the sequels.  
**Summary:** How would Harry's life have been different if Petunia had acted like a Human being, if Dudley had been a wizard too and if Lily had left a legacy for her beloved son? How would it have been the same? Just another AU of book 1.

**A/N: **Unbeta'd… I wanted to get it up because it's been so long. Oh, and I now have a forum on and a yahoo group you can join if you want to nag me between updates. In fact I'd be grateful if you did. I respond well to nagging. The forum can be found on my user page and the group is shutsumons-writings (the full URL can be found on the forum). Not the best chapter I've wriiten, sorry.

**Disclaimer: **Belongs to JKR not me.

**LEGACY**

**Chapter Five**

**Sorted**

The great doors opens immediately and Harry saw Professor McGonagall standing there in her emerald green robes and looking stern as always.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall." Hagrid said.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." Se replied and led them into the castle. As they walked through the entrance hall Harry heard Dudley's soft choke.

"Our whole house would fit in here!"

"And then some." He agreed under his breath. Everyone was looking around, trying to make out the distant ceiling, craning their necks to look into the main hall where the older students already were or staring up the marble staircase. The professor led them into a small side chamber and then made a short speech, which Harry listened to intently. about the houses and the sorting before telling them to wait there until she came to fetch them. After she left everyone started talking about the sorting and what sort of test it would be. His mother's diary hadn't been specific – though a magical hat was involved somehow. Apparently no one else even knew that much. He wondered briefly why was the test such a big secret.

"Well it can't be that hard." He said logically even though his stomach was churning. "I mean no one has ever got here and failed to be sorted have they?"

"Of course not!" It was Hermione Granger who answered. "I wonder what spell I'll need…" She broke off as several people, including Dudley, screamed because silvery ghosts ha begun streaming into the room. They seemed to be arguing about someone called Peeves who wasn't a 'real ghost' until they noticed the first years anyway – at which point they became the topic of discussion until Professor McGonagall returned and led them into the Great Hall.

Harry could feeling himself gawking again at the sight of a hall large enough to seat all of Hogwarts students and staff in comfort. Not wanting to look like an awestruck fool he carefully composed his expression and looked around again. There were several hundred students divided roughly equally between the four house tables with the silvery ghosts dotted among them. Noticing that several of his fellow students were staring upwards with what he could only describe as gob-smacked expressions he looked up and could not repress a gasp. It looked for all the world like the room was roofless. Instead of a ceiling there seemed to be just black, star filled sky but he knew that was impossible… there were rooms above the Great Hall. He had seen them from the outside.

"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History." Hermione whispered.

That small mystery satisfactorily explained Harry made a mental note to obtain a copy of that book as soon as possible and turned his attention back to Professor McGonagall as she silently placed a tatty hat that did not look at all like a powerful magical artefact on a stool. Then it started singing to them about the houses and how it would sort them by looking inside their heads and seeing where they fitted which rather dispelled that impression. As the hat finished singing Harry could hear a relieved Ron muttering about how Fred had told him that he would have to wrestle a troll.

Meanwhile Professor McGonagall unrolled a scroll and started reading out names in alphabetical order. The first two girls went to Hufflepuff and then 'Boot, Terry' and 'Brocklehurst, Mandy' both went to Ravenclaw, 'Brown, Lavender' was the first new Gryffindor and 'Bulstrode, Millicent' became a Slytherin. Draco Malfoy's friend Crabbe also went to Slytherin and then it was Dudley's turn. He looked very nervous as he approached the stool as if he expected the hat to bite. The hat only ruminated for a few moments before declaring "Gryffindor".

Harry suppressed a smirk. He had seen that coming – his cousin was no intellectual so Ravenclaw had been out, he was obviously no Slytherin and even though he had the pride down pat the teamwork orientated nature of Helga Hufflepuff's house would have killed him. His cousin only co-operated with people if it involved beating someone up. The hat was right Gryffindor was the only place for Dudley.

Hermione Granger went to Gryffindor and then it was Daphne's turn. She winked at Harry as she walked past him and was soon on her way to the Slytherin table. Neville Longbottom went to Gryffindor – though it took some time to decide with him. Harry suspected that the other boy did not believe himself and the delay was likely caused by him protesting that he wasn't brave enough for Godric's House. A few more people were called and then it was Harry's turn. He took a deep breath as Professor McGonagall called.

"Potter, Harry."

He walked to the stool with a confidence he did not feel and tried to ignore the outburst of whispers that his name had provoked. As the hat dropped over his eyes he could see everyone staring at him. Then everything went black.

"Hmm… difficult – very difficult. You have plenty of courage. You're intelligent and talented, very talented… and you want to prove yourself and…" There was a pause. "Now that's interesting!"

"What is?" Harry asked.

"Never mind." The Hat replied. "It's only tangential to sorting you… you'd fit anywhere except Hufflepuff with a minimum of fuss. So where shall I put you?"

Harry considered the question. "I'm really not bright enough for Ravenclaw." He said after a moment and was startled at the denigrating sound that the Hat made at that comment. "Now I would fit in Gryffindor" He conceded. "And it's certainly where people would expect me to be given my history. I'd certainly be safer there than in Slytherin but Dudley is in Gryffindor and my cousin and I have – um – issues. Anyway even though I don't like him I can see that that would not be fair on him. He's going have a hard enough time adapting to being known as the cousin of 'the boy who lived' without having to share a dorm with him. Anyway Gryffindor House has a good reputation that it only partly deserves." He paused again as the hat made an amused sound that sounded like a laugh.

"And Slytherin?" It prompted.

"Well by contrast Slytherin is a House with a bad reputation it only partly deserves . Given the amount of prejudice people would probably freak out and think I might be the next Voldemort since had the power to get rid of him as a baby. It might be dangerous for me as well since some of the kids will have parents who see me as an enemy for defeating their master. But forewarned is forearmed and being in Slytherin might give me a chance to steal at least some potential followers from under Voldemort's nose – I'm sure he's not dead and will be back at some point."

"That's an astute summation of the Situation. You should not sell your intelligence short so. I am very tempted to put you in Ravenclaw just to prove this to you but I doubt that you'd settle there quite as well as you would in Gryffindor or Slytherin. You would thrive in Gryffindor – never doubt it – but the history with Mr Dursley might cause both of you problems. And given that you've now proved that you are ambitious and cunning enough to consider the political moves you need to make to defeat your enemy I think that on the balance of things I'll put you in **Slytherin.**" And the last word was shouted to the room at large. As he lifted his hands to remove the hat it added another comment for him alone. "Anyway you'll be as good for Slytherin as it will be for you."

Harry raised an eyebrow at that as he handed the hat to Professor McGonagall and turned to walk towards the table. He hazarded a glance at the Gryffindor table as he passed it – they were the people most likely to take his placement badly. Most of them seemed relatively unconcerned – disappointed and surprised but not horrified. Percy the prefect however did look horrified – with a good chunk of shock, anger and disgust mixed in. Harry had the feeling that he had just made an enemy there. Dudley, on the other hand, looked relieved.

The Slytherin table seemed surprised as well. They were clapping enthusiastically – most of them anyway – but quite a few looked shocked. He walked round the table and found a seat next to Daphne who grinned at him.

"Well done, Harry." She whispered as he turned his attention to the high table. The only two teachers that he recognised were Dumbledore and Quirrell – who had started wearing a huge turban for some reason. He turned his attention back to the sorting in time to see Ron sorted into Gryffindor. The red haired boy glanced across at him with a thoughtful frown as he walked over to join his housemates and sat down next to Dudley. Finally "Zabini, Blaise" became a Slytherin and took a seat next to Harry as Professor McGonagall took the hat away.

Professor Dumbledore got to his feet as Harry's stomach rumbled. He was beaming at the students and Harry could tell that it was a genuine smile. No wonder he was the headmaster – education delighted this man.

"Welcome!" He said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

Harry raised his eyebrows and applauded politely.

"Our headmaster is just a little crazy." One of the prefects said as he caught Harry's expression. Harry considered this.

"Crazy like the fox, you mean." He said after a moment. The fifth year gave him a questioning look. "Real crazy people don't act like that. He's very eccentric I'm sure but he knows what he's doing. He wants people to think he's crazy."

"Perceptive." The Prefect murmured and Harry got the feeling that he'd just passed some sort of test as the Prefect extended his hand. "Elias Merryweather." He paused and then added. "You were raised by your mother's muggle relatives weren't you?"

"By my mother's sister, yes." Harry agreed as he shook Elias's hand. The prefect nodded and turned to Daphne. "Your mother was Lily Evan's sponsor wasn't she?"

"She was."

"Well technically Harry doesn't need a sponsor because he's a half-blood but could you look after him since he won't know his way round wizarding culture? Make sure he doesn't make any major mistakes?"

"Of course I can." She nodded.

"Thanks!" Harry said.

"Not a problem." Elias said. "Potatoes?"

"Thanks!" Harry blinked at the feast that had appeared before them for a moment before he began piling food onto his plate. As he ate he glanced round the table and noticed that Draco Malfoy looked rather unhappy with the seating arrangements – probably because he was seated next to a rather nasty looking ghost.

"That's the Bloody Baron." Elias explained. "He's our house ghost. Each of the houses have one." He gestured to the Gryffindor table where a ghost had just swung his head off his shoulders revealing it was attached by only a little bit of flesh. "That's Nearly Headless Nick – he's their ghost. He's okay actually. Apparently death mellows them." Several students at the table laughed at that. "Anyway the Grey Lady is the Ravenclaw ghost and the Fat Friar the Hufflepuff one."

"I see." Harry turned his attention back to the food.

After they had eaten as much as they could of the main course an equally extravagant array of desserts appeared. By this time Harry was feeling warm and sleepy and wondering how soon they would be able to go to bed. He glanced up at the High Table again and his eyes were drawn to Professor Quirrell – mostly because of that stupid turban – who was talking to another teacher and did not look especially pleased to be in the conversation. Harry was about to ask Elias who the various teachers were when the teacher who was talking to Professor Quirrell suddenly looked over and met Harry's eyes. As he did a sharp ain shot through the scar on Harry's forehead.

"Ouch." Harry clapped a hand to his scar and began to rub it.

"Are you okay?" Daphne asked.

"I'm fine." He replied because the pain had subsided almost immediately but Daphne didn't seen convinced.

"Does it hurt often?" She asked in a low voice.

"What?" he replied equally quietly.

"Your scar does it hurt like that often?"

"No, not really." He frowned. "In fact I've never felt anything like that before. Why?"

"Hmmm… I suppose it could be reacting to the high concentration of magic a place like Hogwarts has. Curse scars are weird at the best of times and yours is unique. Goodness knows what to expect from it." She looked away thoughtfully.

"I see." Harry turned his attention back to his treacle tart.

A little later when the desserts gad vanished Dumbledore got to his feet and started giving out notices. Most of them were – once you allowed for the fact that this was a school for magic – quite mundane really but the last one caught his attention.

"And finally I must tell you that this year the third floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death."

Harry blinked and stared.

"So that's it? No explanation?" He muttered.

"It's a bit odd." Elias agreed. "He usually explains restrictions like that. It must be something he doesn't want anyone to know about." He paused then and a faint hint of malice entered his tone. "Weasley must be choking not to have been told what's going on." Harry thought that he might say more but he was interrupted by Dumbledore announcing the school song. The rest of the staff looked rather unenthusiastic at the prospect and once the cacophony was over Harry rather knew why.

Dumbledore dismissed them then and Elias led the Slytherin first years down into the castle dungeons that housed the Slytherin Common room and dorms apparently. The prefect paused in front a bare piece of wall. "Okay, the password is "whippoorwill"." He said and a hidden door slid open. He led them inside and on into the first year boys' dormitory. They descended another short flight of steps into a room with five four-poster beds with green velvet curtains. There was a trunk a the foot of each bed.

Harry found the bed with his trunk at the end between the beds claimed by Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott. He pulled out his pyjamas and began to get ready for bed when the sound of someone clearing his throat caught his attention. The teacher who had been talking to Quirrell stood in the doorway." He looking at Harry in an appraising manner as if he was not quite sure what to make of him. "Normally I would not feel the need to do this but the circumstances are unusual." He looked at Harry a moment longer and Harry realised that his being in Slytherin was the unusual circumstance. "Please don't do anything precipitous in the next week." His eyes swept round the room and they all nodded. Snape seemed satisfied with that and left."

"What the hell." Blaise burst out once he had left. "Does he really think that we're going to kill you before The Binding."

"It seems so." Harry nodded. He knew what the Binding was from his mother's diary. After that he should be safe and after Snape's warning he should be safe anyway. No one said anything else and they were all soon asleep.

He woke again a couple of hours later after a strange dream. He'd been wearing that stupid turban of Quirrell's and it was talking to him. It told him that he was quite right to choose Slytherin and that he should now fulfil the rest of his destiny by letting him in. Harry had decided that he neither liked nor trusted the turban. There was something familiar about the high, cold voice though he couldn't place it so he said no. The turban had stated to become heavier and the voice more insistent but Harry kept refusing. At this point the turban turned into a snake and began to try and throttle him. Harry struggled to pull it off and was just getting a grip when someone else was there and they reached out and helped him peel it away. Whoever it was he couldn't see them but he could feel their hands over his. Once they got the snake free of his neck Harry flung it away violently and looked around for the person who had helped him but they had gone. It was at this point he came awake.

He lay awake for a while musing over the dream and what it might mean before rolling over and falling back to sleep. When he woke again the dream was forgotten.

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R&R and please nag me on the group or on the ff forum please. I need nagging to keep up momentum. Flames and death threats will be laughed at.


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